Arsenal
Premier League • England
Arsenal can deal Man City double striker wrath amid hunt for spectacular Viana target
Manchester City could twice feel the wrath of Viktor Gyokeres, as Arsenal are planning on scouting their striker target in a game against the Citizens, after he’s built up some good form.
City have once before signed the most in-form striker in the world, when they got Erling Haaland through the door from Borussia Dortmund. They are looking to do so again, with Sporting CP’s Gyokeres their main forward target.
But they will find themselves in competition with Arsenal for the Swede’s signature.
According to GIVEMESPORT, the Gunners are one of the sides poised to further scout Gyokeres, who is already ‘firmly’ on the radar, with attention turned towards adding firepower to the lineup.
It’s believed Arsenal and other big clubs have pinpointed the striker’s match against Man City for Sporting on November 5 as the ‘ideal opportunity’ to see him in action against a big club.
While City will obviously see him first hand, they could twice feel the wrath of Gyokeres, as he could dominate them as he has many sides this season, which would no doubt prompt the Gunners to go even harder for him.
The presence of Arsenal would certainly make City’s pursuit of the striker more difficult.
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City want Haaland replacement
The reason City want Gyokeres, beyond his 56 goals in 63 games at Sporting, is uncertainty over Haaland’s future.
It is believed he wants to move to Real at some point, with the La Liga club courting him heavily.
As a result, the Sporting man has been identified as the ‘priority’ for the Citizens.
Contact is said to have been made with his entourage – led by City’s director of football Hugo Viana, previously of Sporting – though Arsenal and other top clubs could put themselves in the way of that move.
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Arsenal’s desire to add firepower up top is evident in other rumours, too.
Indeed, they are said to be courting Ferran Torres, as it’s said his Barcelona team-mate Raphinha will be out of his reach.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid’s Arda Guler, who plays either in attacking-midfield or on the wing, is under consideration, though City will given the Gunners competition for that signing.
Alexander Isak remains on the radar, amid a suggestion that he could force his way out the door at Newcastle in 2025.
Dusan Vlahovic could be a simple snare, too, as Juventus are said to be strongly considering the sale of the striker in order to ensure a fee before his contract runs down too far.
Gyokeres could be top Prem player
It may be too early to know exactly how Gyokeres will perform against top English clubs – hence why the scouting effort against City makes a lot of sense – but his stats last season show him to be head and shoulders above some Prem attackers.
He only scored 23 goals fewer than the aforementioned Premier League quartet combined last term, and that includes Kai Havertz, who he could replace at Arsenal.
Of course, those players are currently at a better standard than he is, playing in Portugal, but it’s hard to ignore 43 goals in a season in a top-flight league.